


Sad Songs

by Candeecake



Category: Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (TV)
Genre: Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-05
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:42:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24021523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Candeecake/pseuds/Candeecake
Summary: Zoey heard everything but so far it's only been sad songs. And she can't even hear her own voice.
Relationships: Zoey Clarke/Max Richman
Comments: 2
Kudos: 35





	Sad Songs

**Author's Note:**

> Song Included Are:
> 
> It Will Rain By Bruno Mars  
> It's Too Late By Carole King  
> The Scientist By Coldplay  
> Dreaming With A Broken Heart By John Mayer  
> How To Save A Life By The Fray

_“If you ever leave me-”_

_“It’s too late baby-”_

_“Come up to meet you, tell ya-”_

_“ Dreaming with a broken heart-”_

She could hear every sad note from everyone. She could hear everyone’s tears. She could hear silence from her own. It had been a few months since her father died. Throwing herself into work over and over again. Her fingers ached, typing code. It was dark and only her dim computer lighted the room. The silence had been refreshing, unable to hear any songs.

Her family sang songs of complete anguish. She had worked hard to make sure they were happy. The city seemed to be stuck in a loop of sadness and pain. She told Simon about her feelings. Simon had been singing over and over again. She was stuck hearing the same songs. Zoey sometimes saw her dad in the streets humming old songs. She rolled back in her chair, stretching her arms. She glanced at the clock, ignoring the time. Deciding, she needed fresh air, she went outside.

The fresh air carried a wave of sad songs. It clashed into her head, she groaned. Zoey walked home, finding the time to be morning. She opened the door, her face stained with tears. Zoey walked into her apartment, sighing against the wall. Zoey wanted to go to sleep desperately, but she couldn’t stop hearing the songs. 

“Zoey?” A sharp bellow came from the door. She found Mo standing behind the door. 

“Yeah?” Mo’s eyes widened at the sight of her. 

“Are you okay?” Mo asked. Zoey nodded sleepily, making an excuse to leave the conversation. She closed the door despite Mo’s protests and changed into new clothes to start the day. Stepping outside, a deafening sound of tear-jerking numbers screamed into her ear. Tears started to weigh in on her eyes. Mo stood behind her, walking forward. She couldn’t hear him, his voice was blocked out. Zoey closed her eyes, letting the sunlight flutter. A man let out an extremely high note that pushed her into darkness. She fell into darkness. There was no sound. No music and no one’s thoughts. Just beautiful silence, she was afraid she might not wake up.

After the incident, she convinced Mo to not tell anyone. She marched into work and started the day over again. Typing code and ordering people distracted her. But Zoey kept hearing the songs. At lunch with Max, she just stared at her food, smiling blindly to his stories. _“How to save a life-”_. The pain she heard became a habit. 

“Zoey, are you okay?” Max asked, putting his hand on hers. The song ended, and she smiled quickly.

“Yeah, yeah-of course. Finish what you were saying.” He eyed her warily before continuing his story. They kissed quickly and she went back to work. She dove back into a city of anguish filled tunes. When she finally went home, she fainted onto her bed. Her pillow failed to block the sad songs she heard. Mo found her.

“Thank you, Howie, for making dinner.” Her mom said. The grief was still evident in their household. Zoey heard tear-jerking melodies from her family. She was always helping them. They started singing and it was a long evening.

She left.

Soon, the incident turned into a habit. Zoey came home one day, finding people at her door. Mo stepped in front, giving a small smile. Zoey widened her eyes and cocked her head. Panic was racing in her lungs.

“What is all this?” Zoey hissed, running her fingers through her hair. 

“I will keep your secrets but not if you are going to faint all the time. You need help.” Mo said, coaxing her into the room. Her family, Max, Howie turned to her smiling. “They’re here to convince you.”

“I don’t want a damn musical number.” Zoey turned to leave, but she caught the faintest echo of songs singing outside. She was on the verge of a panic attack. She turned to everyone, giving a fake smile. “Thank you all for this wonderful surprise, but I must be getting back to work.”

“Zoey, please just talk to us.” Her mom pleaded Zoey clenched her fists.

“I called your boss, you are completely caught up on work,” Max said, crossing his arms. Zoey could hear a quiet piano starting to play. Closing her eyes, she was able to shut it off.

“We know that Dad dying was hard and you have been taking care-”

“It’s not about that. It’s just I have to get out of here,” Zoey stammered, rushing to the door. Mo blocked the doorknob. “Let me go.”

“No honey, you are not okay and we all care about you. Please tell us-”

“No, it’s fine. I am completely fine. Now please let me go,” She pleaded, tightening her fists. Zoey could feel the pity being aimed at her. Tears were starting to break. “Let me go, please, just let me go. “ She screamed, starting to sob. Zoey finally felt her exhaustion climb on her, she curled into a ball. “Let me go,” She whispered. Warm arms held her, barricading the sobs that shook her entire body. She could feel Max’s lips press to her forehead. There was no song, no dance. Just silence and touch. Zoey tried to untangle herself from his arm but he wouldn’t let go. 

She cried into his arms, soon her mother’s arms. She didn’t hear any other sad notes but her own cries. Zoey spilled the truth about hearing anguish every day. The enormous weight of not being able to help everyone. The urges that came with the songs. After everyone left. Only her mom sat beside her, singing lullabies. Max also stayed.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Max came later, trying to make her laugh. But the movies they watched didn’t make her giggle anymore. She stared at the wall, focusing hard on blocking out songs. 

“How can I help?”

“You can’t. So you should just go. Find someone else who doesn’t have a messed up life with a bizarre mutant power. Someone who you don’t need to take care of. Someone-”

He crashed his lips onto hers, cupping her tear-soaked cheeks. He let go, embracing her tight. She fell into his essence, sobbing once more.

“There’s no one else like you. You’re extraordinary, with powers or not. There’s no shame in asking for help. Now can you let me help you? Can you let me take care of you?” He whispered into her ear, she nodded. The TV screen was blank, the starlight colliding with the kitchen light. He sang her happy songs. Something she hadn’t heard in a while. She smiled. Something she hadn’t done in a while. She spoke about emotions. Something she hadn’t said in a while.

When the time came for a therapist and a doctor. There was always a beat that kept her going. Max, her family, her friends. And in time, _herself_.


End file.
